What Are Vietnamese Wedding Traditions?
Many people are curious to have a glimpse of what are Vietnamese wedding traditions. Knowing Vietnamese wedding traditions will make you understand the Vietnamese society, its traditional culture and ancestral customs. Wedding traditions of Vietnam are delicate and distinguished in their own ways.
The Engagement
Engagement is one of the most interesting parts of a Vietnamese wedding ceremony. This event usually takes place almost six months before the day of wedding. In the bygone days of the Vietnamese society, a bride and a groom met face to face for the first time in their engagement ceremony. The next time they saw each other after the engagement was the day of wedding. For the last few years, would-be couples have been showing an attitude of indifference to this tradition.
The Wedding
Fixing up a suitable date and time for such an auspicious occasion as wedding under the aegis of a fortuneteller or a spiritual leader is among the Vietnamese wedding traditions. There is something spiritual about the wedding ceremony itself. An array of traditions comprises of the wedding ceremony. Seeking consent for receiving the bride, arranging a procession for the reception of the bride at her house, arranging another procession for the cordial reception of the bride at the groom’s house are some of the Vietnamese wedding traditions. The wedding ceremony is followed by a wedding feast that is held for the families and friends of the newly wedded couple.
The trip of the groom’s mother to the bride’s house
The groom’s mother in company of a few close relatives goes to the bride’s house with a gift of betel on the morning of the wedding day. The mother seeks permission from the bride’s parents to receive the bride. The wedding is confirmed on this very occasion and further proceedings follow it.
Procession of the groom party to the bride’s house.
On the wedding day, the bridegroom party makes a procession to the bride’s place with gifts for her and her family. The person who leads the procession as the representative of the groom party should be a man of manners from the upper reaches of society. The groom, his father and other family members and friends follow the person. The procession is accompanied by traditional umbrella bearers in the front. The groom party carries gifts like clothing and jewelry for the bride and wine, tea, cakes, fruit, betel and roast pig for her family in some decorated lacquer boxes.
The groom party sends signals of its arrival to the bride’s family by lighting fireworks. The bride party welcomes the groom party also by lighting firecrackers. The tradition of seeking permission from the deceased ancestors of the bride takes place at the ancestor altar. It is followed by a candle burning and formal tea ceremony. The bride and groom together serve their parents with tea or wine. A candle-burning ceremony takes place to celebrate the bonding of the bride and the groom.
The reception in honor to the bride at the groom’s house
The bride is brought to the groom’s house and received with honor and respect. The newly wedded couple offers their regard at the groom’s ancestor altar. Arranging a reception party in honor to the bride at the groom’s house or a banquet hall is part of the Vietnamese wedding traditions. Dishes range from cold platters to hot dishes like seafood hot pot, seasoned lobster and many other Chinese banquet meals in the party. It is a tradition for the guests to offer the newlyweds gifts in the form of money. The couple move from table to table to receive blessings from their invitees and thank them.
